Born and raised on an isolated Appalachian mountain, sixteen-year-old Marli Meade yearns to break free from her father’s puritanical church, but fears its cult-like clutches are so deep she may never escape.

When she meets local boy Nate Porter, though, she realizes the life she craves—to be a normal teenager—is worth fighting for, even with the grave and deadly risk that fight would entail.

As her two worlds collide, exposing buried church secrets more sinister than she imagined, and unknown facts about her mother’s death, Marli must decide if she has the courage to fight for her future or if time has run out on her chance to live.

Excerpt

With the first touch of Nate’s lips, pressing against mine as his arms wove around my back, one hand pushing into my hair, something in me blossomed like a moonflower. Alive.

He pulled my braid down in one swift move and I stopped thinking. For once, I started feeling and only feeling. Desperate, urgent, irrational feeling. I pushed my arms around his neck and pulled him close.

Make me forget. Make me forget who I am.

His kiss deepened as if he’d heard my silent plea. For the first time, his tongue pushed between my closed lips.

For one second I was shocked, unmoving. Then my instincts took over, matching his actions motion by motion.

I was nothing but sensation and feeling and energy and…life.

Finally, life.

Everywhere his hands touched burst with an energy I never knew a body could have. I pushed against him and he pushed back. As close as we were wasn’t close enough. Would never be close enough.

Electricity shot through me, waves and waves of energy, raw and powerful. He took the kiss deeper and I responded.

His hands worked a magic trail up and down my arms and over my shoulders. I hoped mine did the same for him as I let them roam over the muscles of his upper arms.

We slid to the floor and I didn’t even notice the cold, hard tile. The only thing I was aware of was his warm, solid body.

I have always been an avid reader, spending many sleepless nights either buried in a paperback, or devouring yet another novel on my Kindle. When I decided to give writing a try, I discovered another way to get lost, only this time it was in my own imagination. Now a'days I can be found with fingers flying over my keyboard or still buried in a book, and have become a fan of listening to audio books in my car because even while driving I need to be immersed in a story.

In addition to writing, I have a license in social work and currently work as an addictions counselor.

I was born and raised in West Virginia, and this beautiful part of the country is often represented in my novels. I now live in Virginia with my family and an ancient goldendoodle named Baileypup. I am a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America, YARWA and Washington Romance Writers.